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"So fast?"
"To increase speed, these few people are ninjas we recruited, so it's faster," Orochimaru saw Shinji's doubt and explained directly.
"I see..." Shinji sensed for a moment. Indeed, he could feel the chakra sensation from their bodies.
As they spoke, Orochimaru and the others walked through Otogakure. When the villagers saw Orochimaru and the others, they all bowed respectfully. Due to the existence of this factory project, many young and strong men were recruited to help. And Orochimaru was never stingy with his own people; wages were paid immediately. Due to this measure, Orochimaru's reputation in Otogakure improved significantly at once.
...
...
"Leaving already?" Two days later, Shinji also planned to leave. Orochimaru licked his lips and asked.
"Yeah, stayed long enough. The rest is up to you guys. I'm going back to enjoy some peace anyway," Shinji chuckled lightly.
"Just leaving like an absentee boss, huh," Kakuzu snorted coldly. He hadn't rested well at all during this time. If it weren't for his 5 hearts, perhaps he would have already died from overwork?
"Naturally. Good luck, you guys." Subsequently, Karin, Deidara, and Jūgo came behind Shinji. After a flash of light, Shinji vanished before Orochimaru and Kakuzu.
...
...
"Lord Shinji, finally back," Karin sighed emotionally as soon as she returned to the All-Purpose Shop. Although the place over there was also called the All-Purpose Shop, for some reason, Karin always felt this place was home.
"Yeah. Go to bed early tonight," Shinji finished speaking and walked towards the bathroom first to wash up.
"Okay, Lord Shinji~"
...
...
Time flows like water. 2 months passed. October 10th. Today, Shinji planned to go somewhere. Early in the morning, Shinji strolled towards a building. Scanning around, there were people secretly observing from all directions.
"Looks like... the defense is still very strict," Shinji smiled.
"Who goes there! Leave here immediately!" Just as Shinji was observing, an ANBU ninja suddenly appeared before Shinji, kunai already in hand.
"What? Can't even stand here for a moment?" Shinji didn't leave, but stared intently at the ANBU ninja before him.
"Our orders are that no one is allowed to linger here!" The ANBU ninja saw Shinji didn't move and even retorted, his whole person already entering an attack stance.
"What orders? There are people walking around," Shinji looked around. There were still some villagers passing by, but they all left quickly, as if this place had some taboo.
"I'll say it again! You cannot linger here!" The ANBU ninja's eyes began to change. And as his aura rose, the surrounding ANBU were attracted over.
"What's wrong?"
"Captain, this person won't leave!"
"Sir, do you intend to make an enemy of our ANBU?" The ANBU squad leader heard the ANBU's words and came directly before Shinji.
"Not really. But... hehe, it's really amusing," Shinji said mockingly, then glanced at the ANBU members, subsequently walking forward.
"Captain!?"
"Follow him. See what he intends to do," The ANBU squad leader frowned tightly. This person wasn't like other Konoha villagers; they trusted ANBU's words 100% and would cooperate. But judging from Shinji's performance just now, this really wasn't an ordinary person. After all, being able to remain so calm when facing so many ANBU.
"Yes!" The ANBU ninja who first appeared accepted the order, then followed behind Shinji and left.
"Today is a special day. Everyone, stay alert!" The ANBU squad leader turned his head and said to the people behind him.
"Yes!"
Walking on the small path, Shinji had already discovered someone following him.
"Hehe, really. Has the control over that place become so strict now?" Shinji turned left and right, but the ANBU behind him always followed steadily. Until Shinji returned to the All-Purpose Shop. The ANBU ninja outside waited for a while, confirmed Shinji didn't come out, and then left.
However, what he didn't know was that upon returning to the All-Purpose Shop, Shinji had already activated Zhongli's roleplay, controlling Geo element to enter the ground, heading directly towards that place.
Arriving at that place, the external defense was still tight, but the interior was loose. Controlling his direction, Shinji came directly to Naruto's room.
Inside the room, little Naruto lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Although only 1 year old, he seemed already able to sense others' emotions. These days, this year, among the people coming and going, they always seemed to hold some negative emotions towards him. This made little Naruto's personality become relatively quiet. And today was the same as usual. The nanny who always showed him a bad face roughly fed him breakfast and then left. Didn't even change little Naruto's diaper or anything.
Click. The room door suddenly opened. Little Naruto turned his head towards the sound. At this moment, Shinji pushed open the room door and walked in. He intentionally made a little noise to attract Naruto's attention. The moment he saw Shinji, a trace of doubt first flashed in little Naruto's eyes, but was quickly enveloped by happy emotions. Although he didn't know why, little Naruto could clearly feel that Shinji seemed different from how others viewed him. Struggling to sit up from the bed, little Naruto directly reached out his hands.
"Hold... hold..." Little Naruto currently only knew a few words, but the word 'hold' was exceptionally clear. During this time, he had said this word more than once to the nanny who delivered food. But without exception, the nanny just glanced disdainfully at little Naruto, then finished her work and left directly. So, in the end, little Naruto basically wouldn't say this word to others anymore. But now that Shinji came over, little Naruto directly reached out his hands towards him, asking to be held.
"Little Naruto, do you still remember who I am?" Shinji came beside the bed, reached out, and held Naruto in his arms.
"Ya ya~" Little Naruto, although not understanding what Shinji was expressing, was clearly very happy with Shinji's words, directly waving his hands and feet.
"Today is little Naruto's birthday. How about we go over to the All-Purpose Shop to celebrate?" Shinji held little Naruto, his voice full of tenderness.
"Ya ya~" Little Naruto clearly didn't know what the All-Purpose Shop was. But judging by his current vocabulary, it seemed Shinji intended to take him somewhere? Although he didn't know where, little Naruto still agreed directly. After all, staying in this place all the time was also very boring, so little Naruto agreed directly.
"Then let's go," A burst of light suddenly emanated from Shinji's body. Subsequently, holding little Naruto, he sank directly into the ground. Yes, Shinji planned to directly bring little Naruto to the All-Purpose Shop. After all, today was his birthday.
Traveling swiftly, Shinji brought Naruto back to the All-Purpose Shop.
"Lord Shinji, is this little Naruto?" Seeing little Naruto in Shinji's arms, Karin directly came closer and asked.
"Yeah. And today is little Naruto's birthday," Shinji said with a chuckle. Naruto, arriving at the All-Purpose Shop for the first time, seemed very curious about everything inside, constantly looking around.
"Ah, little Naruto's birthday? Let big sister hold you," Hearing Shinji's words, Karin, looking at little Naruto's cute appearance, couldn't help but reach out her hands.
"Hold... hold?" Naruto looked somewhat puzzledly at Karin. This was the first person besides Shinji to say 'hold' to him. Moreover, Naruto didn't sense any malice from Karin, so he also reached out his hands, wanting Karin to hold him.
After taking little Naruto, Karin's entire person seemed somewhat melted. Was this the feeling of holding a child? When... could she also with Lord Shinji? Of course, Shinji didn't know what Karin was thinking, but was pondering something else.
"Deidara."
"What's wrong?" Deidara was just called by Shinji as he came out of his room.
"Is Itachi in your room?" Shinji asked puzzledly.
"Yeah, he slept here last night."
"That's perfect. Ask him to go home and tell Mikoto, let them come over for dinner tonight," Shinji said after considering for a moment.
"Okay, I'll go tell Itachi now."
"By the way, also ask Mikoto to invite the Hyūga family over too."
"No problem."
...
Around noon, Shinji personally warmed milk for little Naruto and also fried an egg. Just after finishing, Shinji looked outside. Little Naruto was currently having fun playing with Karin and Jūgo, while Deidara sat aside, resting his chin on his right hand watching them. Jūgo and Karin could both hold little Naruto.
But when it was Deidara's turn, little Naruto wouldn't let Deidara hold him. But it wasn't rejection; instead, he mischievously stuck his tongue out at Deidara. Seeing this scene, Deidara almost exploded on the spot. Fortunately, after sensing Karin's threatening gaze, Deidara could only give up reluctantly.
Lunch began. Little Naruto looked excitedly at the dining table before him. He sat together with Shinji. The things on this table were all things he hadn't eaten before. Like before, he ate some expired milk or cold milk. Eggs were somewhat smelly or clearly looked like they had been stored for a long time. When had he ever received such treatment? Thinking of the past, little Naruto's eyes moistened somewhat.
"What's wrong, little Naruto?" Seeing the tears in little Naruto's eyes, Karin asked with some heartache. But Naruto's current vocabulary was clearly insufficient to support him answering this question. Shinji sighed and recounted some of the treatment Naruto received this year. Hearing this, even the naturally gentle Jūgo became somewhat enraged. Was this the attitude towards a child?!
Instantly, anger filled the hearts of Karin, Jūgo, and Deidara. Their childhoods might not have been very happy or joyful, but at this age, they could still enjoy the care and love of their families. So, hearing about little Naruto's experience, they were all instantly angered.
"Come, come, little Naruto, eat this~" Karin picked up the egg Shinji fried and placed it in little Naruto's bowl. This fried egg was in no way inferior to the one Itachi fried for Sasuke back then.
"Tha... nk..." Naruto happily wanted to pick it up with his small hands to eat, but Jūgo quickly used chopsticks to help Naruto break it into small pieces, then picked up one small piece and placed it before little Naruto's mouth. Feeling the meticulous care from everyone, the tear tracks on Naruto's face, which had just dried, seemed about to reappear.
"Eat. There's more if it's not enough," Jūgo said gently.
Deidara watched this scene from the side. As Ōnoki's disciple, his childhood could be described as having clothes brought to him and food served to his mouth. Everyone who took care of him treated him respectfully. And expired things? He had never even seen such things. Only the freshest food ever reached him.
Seeing Naruto's current state now, combined with what Shinji told them just now, the feeling became different again. For a moment, Deidara's heart felt somewhat mixed. The joys and sorrows between people are different. At this moment, Deidara just felt somewhat heartbroken. This was the first time in so many years Deidara had such thoughts about a person.
"What's wrong, Deidara?" Shinji saw Deidara constantly looking at Naruto, feeling somewhat puzzled.
"Nothing," Deidara somewhat flusteredly picked up a piece of food and put it in his mouth, seemingly flustered by his own thoughts just now.
"Is that so?" Shinji looked amusedly at Deidara. In his impression, Deidara was always such an unrestrained youth. When did this youth also start having thoughts he didn't want others to know?
After lunch, Naruto was clearly full and somewhat sleepy, nodding off on the chair, his eyes almost squinted into a line.
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